Shoe and shoemaking method



Oct. 20, 1936. L. w. MORRISON V SHOE AND SHOEMAKING METHOD Filed March 20, 1935 Z a J ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 20, 1936 'rEs PATENT oFFic This invention relates to shoe making.

In making the so-called nailless -shoes, the

sole and the upper structures are secured together by a suitable adhesive or cement, after which the heel 'is applied and secured in place either by anadhesive or by nails or both depending upon the particular heel'employed. The outersole is'trimmed and finished and the seat providedfo'r the heel after the outsole has been fly adhered or secured to the upper. This naturally delays the work of building the shoe and increases the labor-costs and the equipment and floor space required for the production because the upper-assembly and the outsole assembly, including the heel, cannot be separately and completely finished -'as' independent units prior to their ultimatec'onnection for the finished shoe.

Moreover, under the shoe building methods as" heretofore employed, these units could not be" separately formed and completed prior to con-' motion in their finally assembled relation because' 'o'f the inability of adjusting the heel to-its seat prior to securing the outsole to the upper' in its desired position.

In'- accordance with my invention, I provide an improved method and means whereby the two assemblies-referred to, that is, the upper and its insole'structure; and sock lining, if one is used, and the outsole with its heel properly seated andpermanently attached, may be formed and com-' pletedas separate and distinct units prior to their 'connection to complete the shoe. This method of shoe making has the advantages of more rapid-production than heretofore; lessens labcr' -costs; reduces the equipment and floor space-requirements; and considerably simplifiesthe= making-*of the finished product because a large number of the trimming and the finishing steps which" could not be performed under the previous methods until after the sole and the upper constructions were assembled and secured tothe upper assembly.

gether, can n'o'w-be performed on the separate units before they are applied and secured together in their finally assembled relation.

invention; is so constructed and arranged that the outsole and the heel as a unit, when applied to the upper assembly on the last may be adjusted 'to line up the heel with the associated wall sections of the upper construction.

Also,-=this fastening means, when the occasion demands, may be so constructed that the heel penetrating element which is employed may be readily and easily attached to the insole structure after the completion of the latter or after the insole structure has been secured to the upper while both are on a last.

This fastening element, in accordance with my invention, also serves as an anchor and guide for the shank stifiener of the shoe.

A further feature and object of my invention, is to so provide thefastening means that the head or inner end of the fastening element is completely covered by the insole of the shoe and is thus not exposed on the inside of the shoe to wear or damage the stocking of the wearer or require the use of a sock lining or other protector for this purpose.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side-view, with parts in section, of a shoe constructed in accordance with my invention;

, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the upper and the outsole units in unassembled relation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the insole and upper assembly; and

Fig. 4 shows a detail of construction to be hereinafter described.

7 As shown in Fig. 2, the upper and the outsole assemblies are in the form of separate and distinct units. The upper assembly is marked A and the outsole assembly is'marked B. These units are separately formed and completed, and are secured together to form the finished product, as shown in Fig. 1. In this instance the article shown is a. ladys leather house slipper having a heel. The invention, however, is also applicable to shoes for general wear.

The upper assembly A comprises an upper l and an insole structure 2. The marginal portion 3 of the upper I is folded over the margin of the insole structure and is secured thereto by a suitable cement or adhesive as in making the socalled nailless shoes. This operation is performed while the parts are on a last I, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The insole structure comprises an insole 5 which extends the full length and width of the shoe 'anda'shank'piece 6; The latter is secured surface of the insole, that is, on the surface to which the outsole I is applied. The marginal portion 3 or the upper, where secured to the insole structure, overlaps and is cemented to the shank piece 8 on its outer side as shown in Fig. 3.

The shank piece 6 provides means for connecting a heel attaching nail 8 to theinsol'e 5. For this purpose, the shank piece has a hole or aperture 9 through which the shank of the nail extends. The opening 9 is centrally disposed withrespectto the heel portion of the insole and is somewhat larger than the nail shank as indicated in Fig 4. The head ill of the nail in the construction shown, lies between the shank piece 6 and the insole 5, and is larger than the opening 9 so that the nail retains its connection with the shank piece after being applied thereto. To facilitate this, the shank piece hasa pair of intersecting slots H, l2.' The slot ll extends into the hole 9. The slot i2 is at the outer end 01' the slot ii and has portions on opposite sides of said slot angled with respect thereto to provide flaps l3, 63 which may be lifted or displaced outwardly to pass the head of the nail beneath the shank piece when applying the nail thereto, as shown in Fig. 4.

The slot I2 is long enough to pass the nail head. the shank of the nail passing along the slot ill as the nail is moved intothe opening 9 as indicated in Fig. 4. In the construction shown, the nail is applied after the insolestructure has been cemented or adhered to the upper l, the parts being shown in their unassembled, but registering relation in Fig. 2. I With the nail head ill beneath thejinsple 5, the nail head is not exposed on .the inside of the shoe, and a pad or sock lining is not required, unless merely to finish,

the inside of the shoe along theinsole or to provide an additional layer to provide a closer lit for the foot. In Fig. 1, a sock lining is shown atlLy The outsole structure B, comprises the outsole 'l, which extends the full length and width oi the shoe, and a heel member l5. These elements are secured together before being connected with the upper assembly. With a wood heel, as shown,

the heel portion of the outsole 1 is cut away as required to fit in the heel seat or cavity at the upper end of the heel so that the outer covering IS on the heel may fit against the upper l when the upper and the outsole units are secured together. The heel member l5 and the outsole 1,, where they overlap, may be cemented together, fastening nails II also being used in the construction shown. a

The outsole I is provided with an aperture or hole It to receive the nail 8. This opening fits snugly about the nail when the nail'is driven into the heel. This is usually done while the upper assembly A is on the last 4 by driving the the preferable arrangement. the nail hole is in the shank piece, as shown. The slots H, I: or

heel on the nail. The nail may be barbed, as

1 shown,- to securely anchor the heel in place.

Before driving the heel l5 onto the nail 8, one or both ofthe opposed surfaces of the inner and the outer sole structures are coatedwith a layer of the desired adhesive or cement. The latter is that withinand about the nail opening 9. It the to the upper l.

aosaeso adhesive, at the time the upper and the outsole assemblies are to be applied together, is not sufliciently tacky or fluid to join them, it is wetted or otherwise treated to make it so, whereupon the heelmember I5 is driven ontothe nail 8 and against the heel poition of the upper and the insole assembly while the latter is on the last 4. This seats the heel member on the upper assembly, and usually no additional pressure or clamping is required to hold the heel member in place. If it needbe adjusted to align it with the walls of the upper l, the size of the nail opening 9 and fluidityoi' the adhesive enables this to be done. The nail. 8' shifts with the heel member as the latter is adjusted, the opening 9 being large enough to accommodate the extent oi any adjustment which may be required. After the heel member has been seated, and adjusted, it that is required, the portions of the insole and the outsole structures beyond the heel member are brought into contact and clamped together by suitable means, notshown. The adhesive material between these parts at this time is conditioned to unite them when pressed together. II a celluloid cement is used as the adhesive material, it is treated with a suitable solvent while on the parts to make it "tacky for their connection.

The upper and the outsole 'assemblies A, and B are completely finished before they aresecured together in their shoe i'orming relation. Thus,

the shoe is complete following this last, mentioned operation; and no further operations are required on the shoe, except inspection and such final finishing as may be needed followingfan inspec tion test.

' If the shank of the shoe is to be stifl'ened, as is generally required. a shank stiffener I8. is employed in the construction. This stiil'ener is in the tom of a metal strip of the size and gauge required, and has a slot 20 adjacent one end to ilt about the nail 8 as shown in Fig. 3 The stiiiener isapplied on the outer side of the shank piece 8 before the outsole assembly is applied. The

stiiiener extends lengthwise of the shank piece and by the slot 2a which is elongated longitudinally oi the strip, the stifiener may be adjusted to the position required. It is held preliminarily in this position by tacking it to the last, the stiiTener having a tack receiving hole 2| at its non-slotted end as shown in Fig. 3.

An important feature of my invention is having the heel fastening element 8 carried by the insole structure and the provision of means in the connection enabling the'fastening element to be shifted with the heel member when ;adjusting the latter in the general plane of the sole structure. The fastening-elementcould beex tended through the insole 5 in which case the shank piece could be omitted. The nail hole in the insole 5 would be made large enough to adjust the heel. With this arrangement, the head oithe nail would be on thei inside oi the shoe and the sock lining ll would be employed to;

cover the nail head.-

\ When the shank piece 6 is employed, whichis their equivalent enable the fastening element 8.

to be attached to the insole structure after the latter has been completely formed and secured This arrangement is essential' when the shoe making equipment requires the structure, in which case the slots ii, l2 would not be needed.

Making the upper and the outsole assemblies as separate and distinct units, enables these parts to be completed as to size, trimmed, finished, etc.,,

before they are secured together in their shoe lit forming relation. This reduces labor costs and allows for faster production because the work on the outsole and heel is not dependent upon the completion of the upper and the insole assembly as heretofore. Moreover, trimming and finishing of the outsole and the application and setting of the heel is not delayed waiting the completion of the upper assembly. In short, one assembly may be completed independently of the other, and the twounited to complete the shoe without the work on one assembly hindering or delaying the work on the other. This also reduces the equipment and factory space requirements for a given production, as fewer lasts are tied up in the process and less rack facilities are necessitated to accommodate the work.

In additionto the foregoing advantages, the heel fastening is more secure. and will withstand greater strains than when an adhesive union alone is relied upon. The fastening element 8, whether one or more are used, will resist strains and stresses applied in directions to rock the heel with respect to the upper assembly. The

adhesive employed will aid the fastener in resisting strains or forces which tend to shift the heel in the general plane of the sole, as well as which tend to pull the heel from the shoe. The combination employed produces an effective anchor for the heel and provides a firm and secure connection.

The materials for thesole structures will be those usually employed in shoe making. The insole 5, shank piece 6, and outsole i may be of leather, although I do not wish to be limited in the choice of materials for these parts.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described may be variously changed'and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention except as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. The herein described method of shoe making, consisting in forming the upper and the insole structure and the outsole structure and the heel as separate and complete assemblies, equipinsole structure with a fastener to penetrate the heel prior to the application of the two assemblies together, and then driving the heel on the fastener and securing the two assemblies together'as separate units to form the shoe.

3. The herein described method of shoe making, consisting in forming the upper and the insole structure and the outsole structure and the heel as separate and complete assemblies, equipping the insole structure with a fastener to penetrate the heel, said fastener being applied to the insole prior to the application of the two assemblies together, and then driving the heel on the fastener and securing the two assemblies together as separate units by the use of an adhesive between them.

4. The herein described method of shoe making, consisting in forming the upper and the insole structure and the outsole structure and the heel as separate and complete assemblies, equipping the insole structure with a fastener to penetrate the heel and adjustable in the general plane of the insole structure, driving the heel on the fastener and securing the two assemblies together as separate units by the use of an adhesive between them.

5. In a shoe structure of the character described, an insole, an outsole and a heel, disposed with the portion of the outsole at the heel between the heel and the insole, a fastening member carried by the insole at the heel and extending into the heel and securing the heel to the insole, and means connecting the fastening member to the insole, said means being arranged to permit the fastening member to be adjusted in the general plane of the sole structure.

6. In a shoe structure of the character described, an insole. an outsole and a heel, disposed with the portion of the outsole at the heel between the heel and the insole, a shank piece secured to and carried by the insoleat the heel between the insole and the outsole, and a fastening member carried by the shank piece and extending into the heel and securing the heel to the insole, said fastening member extending from the shank piece through an opening therein.

7. An insole structure for use in a shoe construction comprising an insole, a shank piece secured to the insole over the heel portion thereof, and a heel fastening nail carried by the shank piece at the heel portion of the insole with the head of the nail between the shank piece and the insole and the shank of the nail extending outwardly from the insole through an opening in the shank piece, said opening being smaller than the head of the nail but larger than the shank of the nail.

8. An insole structure for use in a shoe construction comprising an insole, a shank piece secured to the insole over the heel portion thereof,

a heel fastening nail carried by the shank piece at the heel portion of the insole with the head of the nail between the shank piece and the insole and the shank of the nail extending outwardly from the insole through an opening in the shank piece, said opening being smaller than the head of the nail but larger than the shank of the nail, and a slot arrangement in the shank piece adjacent and extending into the opening at one end and having its opposite end open whereby the nail may be applied to the shank piece while secured to the insole.

9. An insole structure for use in a shoe construction, comprising an insole, a heel fastening nail carried by the insole at the heel portion thereof and extending outwardly therefrom, and a shankstiffener associated with the insole and connected with the insole by engagement with said nail, said nail having connection with the insole and stiffener, respectively, in a manner permitting adjustment of the nail in the general plane of the insole and stiffener.

10. An insole structure for use in a shoe construction, comprising an insole, a shank piece 59- cured to the insole over the shank and the heel portion thereof, a heel fastening nail carried by the shank piece at the heel portion of the insole and extending outwardly therefrom, and a. shank I in shoe forming relation, a heel membera heel fastening element associated with-the insole and i0 projecting outwardly therefrom and having the heel member impaled upon the fastening element and securing the heel member to'the insole, and

means providing an adjustable connection for the fastening element with the insole, whereby, the heel member after being impaled upon the fastening element may be adjusted with the fastening element in the general plane of the insole to properly seat the heel member with respect to the u p rv LAURENCE W. MORRISON. 

